For example, a strong leader does not, under any circumstances, condone the kind of bullying that leaves a 'friend' in isolation. A strong leader does not condone any kind of bullying at all and they certainly don't accept that a toxic culture is 'just the way it is'.

A good leader does not tell a friend who claims to have been treated appallingly by their peers to "roll with the punches."

A leader with conviction calls out unacceptable behaviour and demands change even if it comes at a huge cost.

A classy leader puts bitterness aside to focus on the jobs that need to be done and the supporters who stand by them. And, on a side note, a clever leader also knows how to play the long game and, crucially, when to leap from a sinking ship. Because someone is going to need to steer a new ship when order is finally restored.

Question: What do you like to do with your friends?

Answer: I like to catch lizards with my friend, Bill.

Translation: I'm going to leave the reference to reptiles open to interpretation. But the essence of this point is the rarely-celebrated notion of sticking together. Support your team mates and unite. There's power in numbers, many hands make light work etc etc.

LISTEN: The Life Bites podcast discusses the key to forging friendships. (Post continues.)

And if your name does in fact happen to be Bill, this tactic is particularly useful when applied to huge, seemingly insurmountable tasks, such as catching up to and overtaking your opponent as preferred Prime Minister for the first time.

Question: Is there a limit to how many friends you can have?

Answer: Yes. 10.

Translation: Be sure to take care counting your friends before attempting to roll a Prime Minister.

Translation: This is obvious. Laughter is the best medicine in tough times. It provides light relief from everyday stresses, frequent back-stabbing and brutal, bloody coups. It's a great gift to be able to make people laugh and it takes rare talent to nail the timing.

One can only assume our new Prime Minister had this in mind when he triumphantly bestowed Aussie flag lapel pins upon his cabinet ministers, because the suggestion that our elected leaders need to be reminded that they are on 'our side' is absolutely, laugh out loud, rolling on the floor, hilarious.